Improvement in corn-planters



' A. J. BARNHART.

Hand-Seeder.

Patented Aug. 14, 1855.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

A. J. BARNHART, 0F SOHOOLGRAFT, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT lN CORN-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 13,419, dated August 14, 1855.

' and Improved Implement for Planting Corn by Hand; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this speci fication, in which- Figure l is a vertical section of my improvement, at .00, Fig. 2, showing the plane of section. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, 3 1;, Fig. 1, showing the plane of section. Fig. 3 is also a vertical section of the same, 22, Fig. 2, showing the plane of section.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts in the several figures.

The nature of my invention consists in 0peratinga plunger and reciprocating box or oylinder in which the plunger works by attaching the connecting-rods of said plunger and box or cylinder to opposite ends of an oscillating arm which is attached to the shaft of the distributing-roller. The box or cylinder makes the necessary hole in the earth to receive the corn, and the plunger forces the earth taken up by the box or cylinder from said box or cylinder upon the corn which is previously dropped in the hole.

To enable others skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents the case of the implemen t,which may be constructed of rectangular form, with the exception that one of its sides at its lower end is inclined, as shown in Fig. 2. The case is divided into two compartments, a b, by a division board or plate, 0, which extends nearly its whole length, a space or aperture, d, being allowed at its lower end, which space or aperture forms a communication between the two compartments, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

B represents a shaft which extends across the compartment to and passes a certain distance into the compartment 1). On this shaft B, within the compartment a, there is attached a roller, 0, having a recess or hole, e, made in its periphery. (See Fig. 1.) The roller 0 is placed below the inclined boards or plates f f, to one of which ascraper or plate, g, is attached, the lower edge of the scraper or plate bearing lightly on the periphery of the roller. The length of the roller 0 corresponds to the width of the compartment a. (See Fig. 2.)

To the end of the shaft B, within the com-' partment b, an arm, h, is attached, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) the end of the shaft passing through the center of the arm, and to each end of this arm rods 2' are attached. The lower end of the rod 2' is connected to a box, D, the lower edges of which are beveled, so as to form sharp or cutting edges. This box may be constructed of metal, as also the case A. The box D is fitted and works between suitable guides, k k.

Within the box D there is fitted a plunger, E, to which the rod j is attached.

To one end ofthe arm h there is attached a handle or rod, F, by which the implement is operated. This handle passes through a slot,

Z, in the lid or cover at of the case A.

At the bottom of the case A there is an opening, a, through which the box D works, and through which the corn pssses from the case.

The corn to be planted is placed in the compartment a, above the roller 0, and the lower end of the case Ais placed over the spot where the corn is to be planted, the handle or rod F being previously drawn upward. The handle or rod F is now forced down and the lower part of the box D enters the earth, and the roller 0 is also turned so that the recess or hole 6 passes between the two inclined boards or platesff, and below the coru,a requisite number of grains filling the recess or hole 6 in the roller. The handle or rod is then drawu upward and the box D rises, containing a certain quantity of earth and leaving a hole in the ground, and as the box rises the roller 0 is also turned in a reverse direction to that in which it previously moved when the handle or rod was depressed, and the grain or corn in the recess or hole 0 passes underneath the scraperor plate 9, which scrapes off the corn above the upper edge of the recess or hole, and the corn falls from the recess or hole down through the compartment a and passes through the space d and underneath the box D into the hole in the earth made by said box, and, the handle or rod being still drawn upward, the plunger E is dc pressed and forces the earth from the box upon the corn within the hole in the earth. Thus by the movement of a single handle or rod the necessary hole is made in the earth, and the corn deposited therein and covered.

I am aware that abox or cylinder and plunger has been previousi y used for the purpose above described. A patent has been granted to me in which such device was used, though ditierently arranged and operated from the way herein shown. I do not claim, therefore, the

box and plunger for the purpose herein shown, irrespective-of the mode of operating the same; but

What I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Operating theboxD and plunger E by means of the rods '5 attached to an oscillating arm, h, which is placed on the shaft of the distributing roller .0, whereby the box and plunger are made to move simultaneously in opposite directions, as herein shown, and for the purpose as set forth.

ANDREW J. BARNHAR'I.

WVitnesses:

WARREN BARNHART, F. D. FANsHAW. 

